


C/O

by miss_grey



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Care packages, Fluff, Letter Exchange, M/M, Slow Burn, Soldier!Dean, Student!Cas, pen-pals
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-19
Updated: 2014-06-19
Packaged: 2018-02-05 07:11:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1809790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_grey/pseuds/miss_grey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It all begins when Castiel sends a care package and a letter to an anonymous soldier….</p>
            </blockquote>





	C/O

 

 

 

            Each year before Christmas the youth ministry services of the University of Illinois set up a table in the Student Union where they collected donations of much needed items to be sent to American troops abroad.  This year was no different: a long table had been set up in one of the side hallways underneath a string of silver garland, next to a glittering Christmas tree.  Throughout the day, students stopped by to drop off items to student volunteers who sorted the items into piles of food, self-care products, and luxury items, before they boxed them up into individual care packages.  Other volunteers, most of whom were students who belonged to local churches, helped the effort by writing encouraging letters that would be sealed into each of the care packages before they were shipped, in bulk, to anonymous soldiers stationed abroad for the holidays.

            At the other end of the table, college freshman Castiel Novak leaned over a blank piece of lined paper, frowning.  He’d been staring at it for at least ten minutes, and he still could not think of anything intelligent to write.  What did one say to a person who they’d never met before?  Castiel wanted it to mean something, but at the same time, he didn’t want it to sound strange and overly-familiar. 

            Castiel’s cousin, Anna, had gotten him involved with the on-campus youth ministry services, and looking back, Castiel was grateful that she had.  He wasn’t exactly socially-savvy—he knew that about himself.  And he tended to be a bit awkward and shy most of the time.  It was difficult for him to make friends, but the people involved with the ministry and his local church had made Castiel’s transition from high school to college much easier. 

            Castiel was happy to be volunteering now—helping the soldiers who were stationed away from home for the holidays was a good cause.  Castiel couldn’t even begin to imagine what that would be like.  That was another reason this whole letter-writing business was giving him such a hard time.  He sighed and contemplated the blank page once more. 

            What would he like to hear someone say to him if he were in that situation?

                                                     

 

* * *

 

 

 

            “Hey Winchester, heads up!” Henricksen called before he chucked a large square package at Dean’s head where he lay sprawled on his bunk.  Dean managed to catch the box before it smacked him in the face and he glared at his commanding officer and muttered “dick” under his breath before he turned his attention to what he held in his hands.

            “What the hell is this?”  Dean asked, turning it around in his hands.  He frowned, confused.  He couldn’t find the name of a sender, and he wasn’t expecting anything.

            Henricksen smirked back at him.  “Care package, Winchester.”

            Dean rolled his eyes.  “Yeah, okay.  From who?”

            “Some church group from the University of Illinois.”  Henricksen tossed another package to Lafitte then glanced back at Dean.  “Groups like that always send stuff around this time of year.  Just shut up and enjoy the goodies, alright?  And if you find any cookies in there you don’t want, send them my way.”

            Dean snorted.  “Yeah, right,” he mumbled.  He glanced around the barracks and noticed that all the other soldiers had been gifted with a care package as well.  Dean pulled himself into a sitting position and settled the box in his lap, suddenly eager to see what sorts of awesome things he might find.

            He tore the package open easily and found a folded piece of simple lined paper sitting on top of the other items.  He set it aside carefully for later perusal and then dug into the contents of the package.  The first thing he pulled out was a package of beef jerky which earned a “fuck yeah” before he set it aside.  Next came a box of cookies, “Henricksen can bite me,” and a package of spearmint chewing gum.  Dean cringed, though, when he pulled out a can of Vienna sausages.  “Who the fuck actually eats these things?”  He grumbled, setting them aside.  “Jackpot!”  He cheered, when he pulled out a can of shaving cream.  He scraped a hand over his stubbly cheek and grimaced.  “Yeah, I needed that.”  He frowned when he pulled out a pink bottle of Herbal Essences shampoo after that.  He read the label: _Long Term Relationship._   Dean snorted and held it up, calling “Hey Lafitte, they accidentally sent me your chick shampoo!”

            “Go fuck yourself, Winchester!”

            Dean chuckled to himself and sat the shampoo aside for the community box.  He was pretty sure one of the female soldiers would be happy to have some nice shampoo for a change.  Finally, a package of socks sat at the bottom of the box.  “Score.”  Dean muttered, then “Alright, time to see who this haul is from.”  He unfolded the lined paper and read:

 

_Dear Unknown Soldier,_

_I hope this care package proves useful.  I’ve been told that all of these items are commonly requested, and I hope that none of them offend you.  Should you find one of them undesirable, I hope that you will share it with another soldier or trade it for something that you can use._

_If I can be honest for a moment, I’d like to say that it feels odd to be writing a letter to a complete stranger, and I’m not quite sure what to say.  But if you’re reading this letter right now, it means that you are stationed far from home during this time of year, and I imagine that if I were in your place, I might like to get a letter, even if it is from someone I’ve never met before._

_I don’t know anything about you, or what the conditions are like where you’re at, but regardless, I know your circumstances must be difficult.  So, with that in mind, if you would like to reply back, my address is on the back of this letter, and I would welcome correspondence from you.  If not, then I hope that you stay safe, and return to your family soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Castiel Novak_

            Dean stared at the quirky letter for another moment before refolding it and tucking it into his pocket to think about later.  For now, that package of cookies was calling his name.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not going to pretend to know anything about the University of Illinois, so please just ignore any inaccuracies there. This is just a fluffy feel good fic. Also, please, remember comments are love! And I love to hear from you :)


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